Histograms and the Rain

So there I was trying to brace myself against the gale that was blowing trying to see the LED reading in the view finder.   The rain was driving and my back pack was flapping in the wind.   As usual I had not really thought through what I was going to do.  I had been inspired by some photographs taken by my friend Sarah Brooks to get out into the Charnwood forest.  She had taken some rather interesting photographs with a Lensbaby.  Now I have a tilt and shift lens I thought it would be fun to use this to try something similar.  

So off I went, camera bag packed to one of the highest points in Leicestershire to make some interesting photographs.  The wind was howling a gale and the rain was coming down but I was unperturbed.  It was only when I was standing out in the wind and rain that I remembered - the T/S lens is a manual exposure lens.   Not a problem if I had brought along my light meter.  Guess what - I hadn't.   Instead I had to try and read the meter on the camera - not easy in the conditions.  In the end I reverted to reading the histogram as my light meter.  I know this is putting the  cart before the horse but it worked.  I would take a photograph, look at the histogram to see what the exposure was like and change the setting accordingly.  Memo to myself - make sure you take the correct kit with you in future! Doh!

Daffodils a la Histogram - Beacon Hill

On a more positive note I did get some interesting photographs.    I really like the bizarre focus effect you get from using a T/S lens for other than correcting converging angles on buildings.  It gives you extra options when out in the field.  I know that much of what can be achieved with the T/S can be recreated in photoshop but that is not the point.   It is always a good idea to have as many options open at the capture stage as you can.  The T/S lens gives you that extra dimension.

As I got to Beacon Hill  the rain was beating against the windscreen.  However through the rain I could see this lone tree standing in the wind.   I decided to take photograph.  It worked out really well and was just what I was looking fought against the elements.   It just goes to show that you should always have a camera at hand.

Tree - Beacon Hill

As I explored the exposed hill I was surprised to some daffodils huddling against the wind.  This was another opportunity to indulge my daffodil fascination.  I am not sure what the passing walking group thought as I was lying prostrate on the ground trying to balance my G9 with a flash on a tether.  But if you can't take a joke you really shouldn't be a photographer.   Again if I had thought this through I probably wouldn't have lay on my 5D and dug the lens hood into the ground.    It was worth cleaning the lens afterwards though.  Using the G9 with a tethered flash was an interesting experiment.  Something I will have to work some more.

Daffodil - Beacon Hill